Alabama Supreme Court Upholds Anti-Masturbation Law

The Alabama Supreme Court has upheld a state statute prohibiting masturbation by artificial means. But if the state can protect the right of its citizens to own guns as an important liberty, how is it that devices for masturbation are prohibited?

Alabama considers unlawful the sale of “any device designed—primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs.” The recent decision of the Supreme Court underlines the fact that in a number of states regulation of sexual activities sometimes outweighs regulation of guns.

Arizona is a state that makes adultery a Class 3 misdemeanor. Whether or not people are actually hauled into court isn’t detailed, but the law clearly states that adultery is against the law. On the other hand the state has enacted two new laws actually loosening restrictions on possession of guns according to the Daily Kos. The first one permits gun owners to carry their firearms into bars and restaurants. The second law allows students at the University of Arizona to carry firearms in their cars without requiring them to have concealed weapons permits. This is just one example of how a state regulates sex while relaxing restrictions on guns. But there are other states that that also regulate sex, although there are variations on these regulations.

In the District of Columbia profane and obscene language is against the law. Massachusetts, a state considered by some of be enlightened in many ways, has strict moral codes of its own, loosely defined, for example, as “dissemination or possession of obscene matter: imprisonment not more than 5 years or fine not more than $10,000;272§35, Unnatural and lascivious acts: felony, fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment not more than 5 years. The specific of what constitutes obscenity or an unnatural act is left unspecified. One of Wisconsin’s statute 944.17 lists “ Sexual gratification: Class A misdemeanor:” What this is isn’t described in the statute, but could it potentially mean masturbation? Those who want more information on the specifics of the law with respect to sexual regulation within the several states can read more here.

I decided to check the Louisiana statute with respect to sexual behavior and regulations pertaining specifically to masturbation. Until 2007 it was illegal to sell sex “toys” or mechanical devices for masturbation or sexual gratification. The Louisiana statute was struck down by the state court according to Fortune magazine in an article written in 2008.

Small, vibrators in a variety of colors are displayed on a shelf in the pharmaceutical area at the local Walgrens in Natchitoches. I asked one of the local clerks about the sales of these devices and whether public reaction has been positive or negative since introduced. The clerk, unwilling to disclose her name, blushed a bit and declared she hadn’t really kept track but had seen a few ladies buy them. So it appears that in the small town of Natchitoches there are some women who have elected to take advantage of the law that allows freedom of choice, to use a vibrator for sexual satisfaction through masturbation without fear of penalty , so those hands that can be trained to shoot a gun, protected by the Second Amendment, can also use a mechanical device for sexual self-stimulation or masturbation with the same degree of liberty in the State of Louisiana.